COIN Q&A No.678 - Rotating Screen/ICDs/Swell Packers to bottom?

Question

On our typical Producer Completions in the White Rose field we run a 6-5/8" x 5.5" tapered lower Sand Face Completion (1500-2500 m SAS & ICDs and Swell Packers) on a Liner Hanger, install a Fluid Loss device on a separate trip and than run an upper completion (Packer, TRSV, Gas Lift , Chemical Inection) after running the Horizontal XMT.

All wells are subsea (~120m water depth)

On  the installations planned for the this year the trajectory of the wells is getting very challenging and from T&D modeling getting our Lower Screen Completion to bottom will be challenging or impossible with conventional 1-trip/sliding to bottom. The modeling is showing severe buckling in the SAS.

Our options we are investigating are:

1. Ability to install SAS/ICD completion with while rotating Screens/Swell Packers: Our SAS do have a Hydril connection on them but we have never required to rotate to install the lower screens, until now.  Is this routinely done? Any learnings anyone can share?
2. Use of a Swivel above the Liner Hanger. Experience/Learnings running Swivels for similar applications?
3. Running the SAS/ICDs in stages using a drop off tool: Experience/Learnings dropping Screens off in segments?

Any feedback anyone can offer would be much appreciated.

 

Kind Regards

Chris Quinton

Husky Energy

 

Answer 1

Chris,

We have had decent success in the UK running screens in long (around 6,000 ft) horizontal sections using a sacrificial bit and motor on the end of the screens.  Theory is the bit is able to lift or roll over a shale ledge which maybe hindering progress.  Caledus specialises in this type challenge and I would recommend contacting them.

Regards,

Greg

Comments

Thanks Greg,
I assume you are using a InnerString on the Screen deployment?
Chris

Answer 2

Chris,

We have a couple of Caledus guys registered in the network, I will e-mail them and ask them to contact you.

Regards,

Fiona

Comments

Chris,

Caledus now owned by Tercel, so my contact e-mail addresses are out of date.  However, Tercel have an office in Calgary.  Here's the general e-mail enquiry address:  

calgary@terceloilfield.com

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Fiona,

Caladeus supplied the Swivelmaster tool which allowed us to rotate the landing string above screens thus reducing cased hole friction.  Caladeus will have lots of data from jobs in the Captain Field ,UKCS. The tool had a dart drop to lock the string in the event you needed to release the sand control packer.

Thanks

John

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Many thanks John!

Definitely looks like Caledus will be able to help Husky.

Regards
Fiona

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Hi all, I have been in contact with Tercel on the Swivelmaster. The unfortuate thing si the swivelmaster will not help much on our case. the Buckling is occuring in our screens. We still might run it as contingency or if we'd like to rotate faster. I am going to inquire further on the sacrifical bit and motor.

Further to my message, We don't typically run an innerstring in the deployment. I can see running an Innerstring having an advanatge when difficult to get to screens to bottom; makes string stiffer and ability to pump through.

Answer 3

Chris,

Your modelling shows severe buckling within the screen section.  I don't think modelling includes factors such as ledging or cuttings piles, which the bit and motor has successfully smoothed out or climbed over.  So this solution is not going to solve your dilemma of eliminating this result from the modelling. 

I suggest you look at stiffening up the screen assembly by making it all 6-5/8 base pipe to TD and see what the model says.  In addition to the increased stiffness, the annular gap between screen and wellbore will be reduced (unless you are actually drilling tapered hole?).  This will reduce the buckling geometry and hence risk, as well as improving productivity potential by leaving a thinner collapse zone around the screen.  I understand that this is not one of your alternatives, and you may already have eliminated it for other reasons, but it's worth asking!

Ian Wattie
Well Completion & Production Engineering Consultant
Yala Peak Limited
www.yalapeak.com